Device to promote nasal breathing and prevent snoring



Oct. 2, 1951 M.P.CARLOCK DEVICE TO PROMOTE NASAL BREATHING AND PREVENTSNORING Filed April 11, 1949 HVPYHVIZHL Patented Oct. 2, 1951 DEVICE TOPROMOTE NASAL BREATHING AND PREVENT SNORING Marion Pomeroy Carlock, LosAngeles, Calif. Application April 11, 1949, Serial No. 86,611

This invention relates to a device to promote nasal breathing andprevent snoring and which will effectively function to hold the nostrilor nostrils of the user in an extended, open position so that inhalingand exhaling through the nose may be accomplished with ease therebydiscouraging any tendency to breathe through the mouth while asleep thuseliminating snoring which results from mouth breathing.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide atube which is adapted to fit into each nostril and which is providedwith a relatively large bore to afford an ample air passage for inhalingand exhaling which is frequently not provided due to deformed, defectiveor otherwise impaired nasal passages which are either so restricted orclosed that normal breathing through the nose may be ordinarilyaccomplished only with difficulty and as a result mouth breathing whilesleeping naturally occurs and.

which additionally causes snoring.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a nasalbreathing device which is light in weight and will afford no discomfortto the user yet which is sufficiently rigid that it will retain thenostrils in an open position and will not collapse while in use.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one of the nostril engagingtubes;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a frame for supporting a pair of the nostrilengaging tubes;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the nostrilengaging tube;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tube looking generally toward theinner or upper end .preventing snoring includes a nostril engaging rtube adapted to be applied to either nostril of the user which isprovided with an upper or inner end portion I which is substantiallyfrustoconical shaped in longitudinal section, as seen in Figure 3 andwhich tapers toward the .npperex- 5 Claims. (Cl. 128-448) tremity of thetube. The nostril engaging tube also includes a relatively longintermediate portion 2 which tapers slightly externally from end to-endthereof and which has a restrictedend which merges with the enlarged,lower end of the head portion I and which is substantially smaller indiameter than said enlarged end of thehead portion so that the headportion I defines an annular rounded shoulder at the point where theintermediate tube portion 2 merges therewith, for a purpose which willhereinafter become apparent. The nostril engaging tube is providedbeyond the opposite, enlarged end of the intermediate portion 2 with anexternally enlarged threaded portion 3 which is slightly larger indiameter than the largest portion of the head I. The nostril engagingtube also includes an externally enlarged lower end or base 4 which isdisposed beyond the lower end of the threaded portion 3 and whichprovides an annular flange. The nostril engaging tube has a bore 8 whichextends longitudinally and centrally therethrough and which tapersslightly from end-toend thereof so that the end 9 of the bore 8 which isformed in the head I is of smaller diameter than the outer, lower endII] which is formed in or surrounded by the threaded portion 3 and base4.

As best illustrated in Figure 3, the diameter of the bore 8 isrelatively large as compared to the external diameter of the tube toafford an air passage of ample size therethrough. The nostril engagingtube may be formed of any suitable, relatively lightweight materialwhich is substantially rigid, such as various plastics.

While only a single nostril engaging tube has been described, it will bereadily apparent that a pair of the tubes is normally utilized, onebeing applied to each nostril of the user. The head I which constitutesthe upper or inner end of the tube is inserted as the leading end intothe nostril, the tube being inserted normally sufficiently so that thetwo portions I and 2 are engaged in the nostril. The enlarged lower endof the head portion I and the annular shoulder which it forms with therestricted, adjacent end of the intermediate tube portion 2 functions asa stop to releasably retain the tube in position in the nasal passageand to hold such passage in a distended or open position. The relativelylarge diameter of the bore 8 allows the user to breathe freely throughthe nostril thereby discouraging mouth breathing, while sleeping, andsnoring which is a common result of mouth breathing. The tube by beingformed of a relatively lightweight material will not produce anydiscomfort to the user and is sufiiciently rigid so that any varyconsiderably for adults and children and also for noses of differentsizes and for nasal passages of different sizes. a a

While two of the nostril engaging tubes are preferably employed withoutother meansfor retaining them in the nostrils than their head portionsI, if found desirable or necessary a' tube supporting frame may beemployed to insure the retention of the tubes in the nostrils and whichframe is illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 and designated generally I. Theframe l is preferably formed of a material corresponding to the materialof the tubes and comprises a relatively elongated plate which in planview is somewhat similar in shape to an eyeglass frame havingcorresponding end portions each of which is provided with a relativelylarge internally threaded opening 5. Each end portion is also provided,outwardly ofits opening 5 with an ear or extension having an opening 6forming a cord or ribbon engaging opening. The plate 1, intermediate ofthe openings 5, is of. restricted width provided by concavely roundedintermediate portions of its longitudinal edges, said concavely roundededge portions being adapted to fit conveniently against the nose andupper lip and to conform to the contour thereof. As seen in Figure 5,the frame I is bent slightly intermedate of its ends so that the endportions thereof are disposed at a slight angle to one another and as aresult, when a pair of the nostril engaging tubes are mounted in theframe 1, as illustrated in Figure 5, said tubes will be disposed withtheir'longi- .tudinal axes in converging relationship to one anotherfrom the end portions l of the tubes to the opposite end portions 9thereof. The

. threaded openings 5 are sized ,to threadedlyand .detachably engage thethreaded tube portions 3 of the two tubes as shown in Figure 5.

In utilizing the frame I with a pair of the nasal tubes, one of saidtubes is first inserted through one of the openings 5 from the convextoward the concave side of the frame 1 and its'threaded portion 3 isengaged and screwed tightly into said opening 5. The tube thus appliedis then positionedin one of the nostrils and so that the frame Iwillthen be disposed across thelower end of the nose. The other tube Iis then 'inserted through the other opening 5 and into the other nostriland its threaded portion 3 is then screwed tightly into the otheropening 5. A cord,

,preferably of elastic, or'a ribbon, not shown, is engaged around theback of the head and over the ears and the end portions thereof are thensecured to the frame I through its two openings 6 for securing the framein position below the .nose and so that the two nostril engaging tubeswill be retained in the nasalpassages.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

enlarged end being of substantially frusto-conical shape and taperingtoward its extremity, said tube including an external portion of alength greater than its enlarged end adapted to be disposed in thenostril, said last mentioned portion tapering slightly toward theenlarged end and having a restricted end merging with the enlarged endof the tube, the enlarged end of the tube at its point of mergence withsaid last mentioned, restricted tube portion defining an annularshoulder disposed around said restricted tube portion and rounded in adirection longitudinally of the tube;

2. A device for use in promoting correct nasal breathing and to preventsnoring comprising a tube formed of a relatively light-weight rigidmaterial adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore ofrelatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough andforming an air passage, said tube having an externally enlarged upper,inner end forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in an appliedposition, an externally enlarged externally threaded portion formedintegral with and disposed beyond the opposite enlarged end of .saidlast mentioned'tube portion and of a larger diameter than said enlargedtube end, an annular externally enlarged portion formed integral withand disposed beyond the outer .end of said threaded portion, a rigidframe comprising an elongated plate having corresponding ends eachprovided with a threaded opening, a pair of said tubes being insertablethrough said threaded openings and positioned with the externallythreaded portions of the tubes in threaded engagement with the threadedopeningswhereby the two tubes are rigidly supported by the frame inproperly spaced relationship to one another to engage the two nostrils.

3. A device for use in promoting 'correct'nasal breathing and to preventsnoring comprising ,a tube formed of a relatively light-weight rigidmaterial adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore ofrelatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough andforming an air passage, said tube having an externally enlarged upper,inner end forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in anappliedposition, anexternally enlarged externally threaded portion formedintegral with and disposed beyond'the opposite enlarged end of said lastmentioned tube portion and of a larger diameter than:said:en larged tubeend, an annularexternally. enlarged portion formed integral withand'disposed'b'eyond the outer end of said threaded portion ,.a'rigidframe comprising an elongatedplate having corresponding ends eachprovided with a threaded opening, a pair of said tubes being'insertable7 port the restricted tube portions and first mentioned enlarged tubeends which extend from the concave side of said frame in convergingrelationship to one another.

4. A device for use in promoting correct nasal breathing and to preventsnoring comprising a tube formed of a relatively light-weight rigidmaterial adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore ofrelatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough andforming an air passage, said tube having an externally enlarged upper,inner end forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in an appliedposition, an eX- ternally enlarged externally threaded portion formedintegral with and disposed beyond the opposite enlarged end of said lastmentioned tube portion and of a larger diameter than said enlarged tubeend, an annular externally enlarged portion formed integral with anddisposed beyond the outer end of said threaded portion, a rigid framecomprising an elongated plate having corresponding ends each providedwith a threaded opening, a pair of said tubes being insertable throughsaid threaded openings and positioned with the externally threadedportions of the tubes in threaded engagement with the threaded openingswhereby the two tubes are rigidly supported by the frame in properlyspaced relationship to one another to engage the two nostrils,

the corresponding end portions of said frame being disposed at an angleto one another to support the restricted tube portions and firstmentioned enlarged tube ends which extend from the concave side of saidframe in converging relationship to one another, said frame havingcomplementary longitudinal edges provided with inwardly bowedintermediate portions adapted to engage and conform to the contour ofthe upper lip and lower end of the nose.

5. A device for use in promoting correct nasal breathing and to preventsnoring comprising a tube formed of a relatively lightweight rigidmaterial adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore ofrelatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough andforming an air passage, said tube having a nostril passage engagingportion consisting of an elongated part tapered externally fromend-to-end thereof and an externally enlarged terminal portion formingthe leading end of the tube when applied to a nostril passage, saidexternally enlarged terminal portion being substantially frusto-conicalin shape and tapering toward its extremity, the re stricted end of saidelongated tapered part merging integrally with the enlarged end of saidterminal portion and being substantially smaller in diameter than saidenlarged end of the terminal portion to define therewith an annularshoulder facing away from said terminal portion, said shoulder beingrounded in a direction longitudinally of the tube and forming a stop forreleasably retaining the tube in an applied position within the nostril.

MARION POMEROY CARLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 669,098 Overshiner Mar. 5, 1901921,034 Weir May 11, 1909 1,256,188 Wilson Feb. 12, 1918 1,839,606Simmons Jan. 5, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 830,545 Franceof 1938

